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Many of today's digital cameras offer a bundle of options for budding photographers. You can adjust manual settings, add borders, crop photos and do countless other things with the camera. What if you want something simple though? Some people just want a camera they can take out of the box and start using.
For those people, Nikon's COOLPIX L18 comes ready to start shooting. For a little over $100, users get the camera, supporting software, and a pair of AA batteries. With the camera's internal memory you can take around 81 photographs at the lowest resolution (perfect for email or a computer screen) or three to four images at the highest resolution (easily printable at 11"x14" dependent on cropping). Depending on what kind of shooting you want to do, you may not even need a memory card.
The camera isn't completely basic though. Users do have some on screen editing capabilities, various pre-set photo modes, and some pretty need panoramic stitch options. Other available features are a digital image stabilization and continuous shooting.
On Screen Editing: Brighten your photos up
Sometimes when you are taking photos, they can come out too dark. Even when you use the flash, your camera doesn't always get the image as bright as you would like. The L18's in-camera editing feature, "D-Lighting," will automatically adjust the cameras brightness to a standard level. You can see in the picture on the left below that the cat's fur blends with the background. This photograph was taken with a flash as the cat moved under a coffee table. While the shutter speed was fast enough to avoid blurring, the image itself is a little dark. Entering through the playback menu, I was able to brighten the image (below right) to a better level, and you can see the cat much better.
Scene Modes: Can everything be seen?
This camera shoots in a few different modes: Easy Auto Mode, Movie, Scene, and Auto Mode. The Easy Auto Mode is designed to allow the user to take photos in any situation quickly. The difference between this and Auto Mode is the fact that more automatic fixes, like D-Lighting, are applied in Easy Auto Mode If you do not want that feature on automatically, switch to Auto Mode.
This camera also offers various "scene" modes. Instead of adjusting manually for different situations you might be taking photographs in, the camera has automatic settings for situations like portraits, parties and night landscapes. While having these settings is great, the specific night and low light situation modes don't always compensate for motion that well. Pictures taken in this mode still come out blurry from mainly camera shake. Using a tri-pod does help in these situations, but isn't always practical. Who wants to walk around a party with a tri-pod?
One might ask: Doesn't the image stabilization function on this camera fix camera shake? While some cameras' image stabilization function does help in these low-light situations, the L18's image stabilization is a digital functionality. Instead of steadying through a gyroscope or lens-shift type stabilization, the camera automatically adjusts shutter speed and ISO settings instead. This still leaves a lot of room for blurry pictures.
Panorama Assist Feature: Fit everything in
A panoramic scene of a mountain range or beautiful city skyline is always a crowd pleaser. The long wide photo just seems to captivate people. Getting this done with a normal camera usually requires a significant amount of cropping, which in turn leads to a loss of resolution. While basic photo editing software allows you to layer photos and synch them up, it isn't always easy to get one photo to match up with the next. The Nikon L18 comes with a Panorama Assist option that greatly assists in the creation of these wide panoramic views.
When switching to this mode, you take your group of photos from left to right. After taking the first photo a semi-transparent image appears on the left side of the LCD screen allowing you to match your next image up almost exactly to the first. When you're done with the images you want, just hit OK on the back of the camera, and these images will be earmarked for later use with the supplied ArcSoft Panorama software. This software is easy to use and automatically recognizes the earmarked photos once they are downloaded to your computer. In the images below, you can see three photos I took of the DC skyline separately, then the stitched image of them together.
While you don't have to, I recommend using a tripod for these types of photos (especially for low light photos) to help get a more accurate stitch. The tripod will also let you adjust the height and angle of the camera to match things up more closely as well. The image above is the exact output of the software (with cropping done by the software). While you can see distinct breaks along the road, the sky is pretty tightly captured.
Continuous Shooting: Capture it as it happens
The Nikon L18 also comes with a continuous shooting mode. If you have kids or like taking your hand held camera to sporting events, you might want to get multiple shots to capture events as they happen. In the larger format modes, this camera can take about 1.3 to 2 frames per second. It does take more pictures per second the lower the resolution and size of the photos, because they take up less memory and write to the memory faster.
Multi-Shot 16 in Continous Mode
One fun feature to the continuous shooting mode is the "Multi-Shot 16" option. The camera takes 16 photos in about 10 seconds and stitches them together in a four by four photo (see above). While not overly exciting, it is something that can create fun and interesting photos of your friends and family, or even yourself.
While this camera does offer the ability to go the next level of scene modes and on-camera editing, the Nikon COOLPIX L18 can be used right out of the box. For someone that is just looking for something simple where they don't have to read a lot of instructions to get decent photographs, this camera is a great fit.


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The Finn European titles were decided today in the Gulf of Follonica after a week of tough, tricky racing in unusually light and shifty winds. Overall leader Ioannis Mitakis (GRE) took the senior title in style after leading the medal race from start to finish. Vasilij Zbogar (SLO) took silver with Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO) taking bronze. In the juniors Michal Jodlowski (POL) who has led all week, took the title from Dimitar Vangelov (BUL) and Andrey Yanitsky (RUS
The Finn European titles were decided today in the Gulf of Follonica after a week of tough, tricky racing in unusually light and shifty winds. Overall leader Ioannis Mitakis (GRE) took the senior title in style after leading the medal race from start to finish. Vasilij Zbogar (SLO) took silver with Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO) taking bronze. In the juniors Michal Jodlowski (POL) who has led all week, took the title from Dimitar Vangelov (BUL) and Andrey Yanitsky (RUS)
After leading the medal race from start to finish, Ioannis Mitakis has won the Finn European title for the first time, just two years after he won the Junior Finn European title for the second time. For the 23 year old it is a dream come true, and also perhaps a bit unexpected, but all week, the light winds have favoured him and he has demonstrated a level headedness and clear strategic thinking that has left many more experienced rivals in his wake.
After starting the week with a 13 and 35 in the strongest winds of the regatta, he never looked back and was the only sailor here to record five top ten places in a row, ending in his only win of the week in today's medal race. After a reasonable start, it looked like Kljakovic Gaspic had the upper hand, however the young Greek edged through and forced Gaspic to tack away. When they came back together Mitakis has a two boatlength lead and from there he just extended to win by nearly 75 metres.
He said, "I am really happy with this. I didn't expect to win this championship so I am really happy. I had a very good final race. For sure the light winds are my favourite conditions. Today I was really fast upwind. I started on the left and I just tried to keep close to Vasilij and Bambi, and suddenly I had the chance to pass into first and that was it. I think the right hand side paid more with more pressure."
"I will go back home now, and then go to the British Nationals and Finn Gold Cup in May. And then of course the Olympics. It will be my first."
Silver medalist Vasilij Zbogar is the only sailor here to win two races, in the shortened series of just seven races, but was clearly well prepared and determined to do well. "I hoped for this result. We really worked hard this winter with Filippo and Giorgio, and all three of us battled for the top three places, so that means that we trained well. We didn't expect to do as well as this as a team, but we managed to do do a really good job. Unfortunately Filippo is fourth but he is still young, and Giorgio too, was still battling in the last race for everything."
On the new champion he said, "I know Ioannis very well and I know that in light conditions he is unbeatable. He is fast and very smart and sailing well. I made a few mistakes myself but I am still in the process of learning and I hope these mistakes get less and less during the season."
"One problem for me was that I didn't have a sail for light winds this week. Like everybody else I expected about 8 to 12 knots of sea breeze everyday and so I didn't check in my light wind sail. I only had a medium wind sail and a strong wind sail. So that was a bit of a problem for me. When the wind was a bit stronger I managed to win two races. I just need to work a bit in the sail for light winds."
While Mitakis led throughout the medal race, and Deniss Karpak (EST) followed in second, Kljakovic Gaspic was flagged at the top mark and had to do some turns which dropped him back. Zbogar was the main beneficiary of this but admitted, "I was flagged myself today as well, but I still had a small advantage and it was enough to stay in third place. It was very tricky. We had a bit of wind at the beginning of the race and then it was just dropping away all the time. I had no idea which side the wind was going to come in. On the second upwind I was pretty sure it would be the right because there was nothing on the left. I knew I had to go right, but the first upwind I was just struggling up the course in the middle. It was good to be there because I got two shifts, and got up to third, and with these short races, rounding in third is good.
"This is a good confidence boost going forward, though I can't celebrate too much as we go straight to Palma but I am really looking forward to that to seeing how I go against the Brits and the other top sailors there."
In the Juniors, leader all week Michal Jodlowski (POL) was assured the title after second placed Dimitar Vangelov (BUL) picked up his second yellow flag and had to go home. The bnronze medal finally went to Andrey Yanitsky (RUS) after overtaking the former bronze medal position holders Tomas Hrncal (CZE) and Arkadiy Kistanvov (RUS) with an excellent sixth place finish. Kistanov was black flagged in the final race, ending his chances of a medal.
The final race itself was won by Bjorn Allansson (SWE) from Gasper Vincec (SLO) and Eduard Skornyakov (RUS)
It has been a strange week here in Scarlino. The wind really hasn't played along and has been completely unseasonable. The racing has been up and down a lot, but what is in no doubt that Ioannis Mitakis was the best sailor here this week and his cool headedness and clear thinking will be a great benefit as he approaches the biggest regatta of his life this coming summer.
Relive the racing and the championship on the live blog at http://www.finneuropeans.org/ec2012/index.php/news-blog which has all the links, photos and videos from the week.
The sailors are now heading to Palma for the 43 Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia – MAPFRE regatta, the second event of the very busy European season this year as they prepare for the Olympic Games in August.
Full results: http://www.finneuropeans.org/ec2012/index2.php?Itemid=6
Results after medal race (medal race position in brackets)
Juniors (Top 6)

subset: commoncrawl


text: Quick view Medieval Gears Medieval Lamellar Plate Body Armor Platelets LARP Renaissance Reenactment Costume 3 different sizes M L XL £163.43 This is the Medieval 20 Gauge Steel Lamellar Armor. Lamellar armour consists of small platelets known as "lamellae" or "lames", which are punched and laced together, typically in horizontal rows. Lamellar can be made of metal,... Compare Choose Options


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Holub: Check validity of quote before printing it
Lord of the Mountains Lutheran Church
Re. "New church in Silverthorne has first Mass Saturday," by Paige Blankenbuehler, Sept. 7
I read the article about the new Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Silverthorne. I celebrate with that faith community on the opening of their new facility.
However, I take issue with the closing paragraph of your article and am disturbed by its implications. I see it was in quotes but am not exactly sure who was being quoted.
"Now that the church is in a central place in Summit County, people have a place to come in during the day for worship – there are no other places for them to go during the day because other churches are locked. We now have the space and staff to have office hours that are open to the public."
That statement is simply not true. Lord of the Mountains Lutheran Church has its doors open seven days a week. People meditate and pray in our facility on a daily basis and encounter the hospitality of our staff. We provide a Saturday ski season winter worship experience. Our facility is the home of numerous groups that meet here on a daily and regular basis including AA and Al-Anon groups; the home of three other faith communities; the home for the concert series of Summit Music and Arts and we often host Alpenglow, Breckenridge Music Festival and Fall For The Arts events. We also provide, several days a week, laundry facilities, Internet services, showers and use of telephone for the homeless and persons of need in Summit County. This is only a partial list of the many groups and people who access our facility on a daily and regular basis. It is my suggestion that before you print a quote like that, you might check out the validity of it. It is a public insult to us, and I know to other faith communities whose doors are not locked during the days of the week. Sincerely,
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Marine Forecast
Issued 07:00 PM MDT 18 September 2020
Tonight and Saturday.
Wind east 20 knots increasing to east 25 this evening then diminishing to east 15 near noon Saturday.
Periods of rain changing to periods of snow or rain Saturday morning then to periods of drizzle and fog patches Saturday afternoon.
Issued 07:00 PM MDT 18 September 2020
Tonight and Saturday. Over open water seas 2 metres.
Extended Forecast
Issued 07:00 PM MDT 18 September 2020
Sunday Wind southeast 15 knots veering to southwest 15 in the morning then increasing to west 25 late in the day.
Monday Wind west 25 knots diminishing to west 15.
Tuesday Wind west 15 knots diminishing to light late in the day.
Ice Forecast
Issued 10:00 AM EDT 18 September 2020 Today Tonight and Saturday Open water except 5 tenths old ice in the western section.
Stay connected
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Ice Conditions
Ice ForecastsIssued 10:00 AM EDT 18 September 2020 Today Tonight and Saturday
Ice EdgeFirst ice edge estimated from 7025N 14120W to 6955N 14035W to 7020N
13150W to 7115N 12555W to 6955N 12140W to Victoria Island near 7050N
11755W. Sea ice north of the ice edge.
Second ice edge estimated from Victoria Island near 6850N 10335W to
Nunavut near 6805N 10340W. Sea ice east of the ice edge.
Third ice edge estimated from Nunavut near 6940N 8525W to Baffin
Island near 7005N 8605W. Sea ice west of the ice edge.
Ice Coverage
Open water except 5 tenths old ice in the western section.
No watches or warnings in effect.
Technical Marine SynopsisIssued 6:30 PM MDT 18 September 2020 Tonight and Saturday At 0000 UTC Saturday trough from 990 mb low located off Arctic
Coast of Alaska.
By 1200 UTC Sunday trough from 996 mb low located over Arctic
Coast of Alaska to Amundsen Gulf.
At 0000 UTC Saturday ridge from 1010 mb high located from 81N 144W
to 74N 110W.
By 1200 UTC Sunday ridge from 1014 mb high located from 76N 108W
to 73N 176W.
Mackenzie - Mackenzie River Area
- Amundsen
- Axe Point mile 91 to Camsell Bend mile 290
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- Camsell Bend mile 290 to Tulita mile 512
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This is an original, optimistic, and inventive story about a hat. But not just any hat. President François Mitterrand leaves his black felt hat in a Paris brasserie. His initials F.M. are embroidered into the lining. Daniel Mercier finds the hat after the President leaves the restaurant and decides to take it. He puts it on his head and extraordinary things begin to happen! A highly enjoyable, multi-layered and clever little read!
The setting of the book is the 80's, which feels rather recent, but when we think about how far technology has come since then, we realise how the story would have played out very differently today, when we have a dizzying array of technological devices at our fingertips. There wasn't even any internet then and sometimes we feel nostalgic for such a simpler time. So when Daniel is randomly seated next to the charismatic President in the restaurant, there would have been nothing more for him than a special memory and an interesting story to tell. Nowadays, pictures would immediately have been beamed around the planet with the aid of his smart phone. Has the charm of a moment in the 80's scenario been lost to the capability of the present day?
A brilliant illustration of this question is seen in this photo, comparing the introduction of the new Pope in St. Peter's Square in 2005 and 2013. Those are not candles burning… 🙂


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Obama's And Admin's Blatant Chrysler Plant-Closing Fibs to Four States' Pols
Imagine if in December George W. Bush and his administration had:
Decided to issue the initial bailout billions to General Motors but not Chrysler, thereby forcing Chrysler into bankruptcy.
Had his advisers get on the phone with elected officials in towns and states where Chrysler has plants and told them that the bankruptcy was about to happen.
Said that the Chrysler bankruptcy "will not disrupt the lives of the people who work at Chrysler or the communities that depend" on them.
Now imagine if, 24-36 hours later, Bush's advisers disclosed that many Chrysler plants would close.
Does anyone reading this think that such an obvious betrayal would have gone unreported by the major TV networks or newspapers of record?
Well, on Wednesday and Thursday, April 29 and 30, Barack Obama and his administration did exactly what I described above. Then, on May 1, Obama's car guys and Chrysler announced the closings of plants in Ohio, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Michigan. Yet this shocking deception, acknowledged as such by well-known names in both major parties, has only been news in the metro areas affected.
In a May 10 column in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, reporter Stephen Koff did a fine job of laying out the details of the story. It's a definite read-the-whole-painful-thing piece, but here are some of Koff's key paragraphs (bolds are mine; the Plain Dealer has a separate detailed timeline here):
Late in the morning on Thursday, April 30, three officials serving under President Barack Obama got on a telephone conference call with members of Congress and Capitol Hill staffers. ….
These are smart people, and they listen carefully. They all took notes on what was said by Larry Summers, Ed Montgomery and Ron Bloom, three of the advisers Obama had tapped to rescue the American auto industry. And what these and other Congress members heard in this private telephone conference was consistent with the message that President Obama publicly made a few minutes later in the White House grand foyer: Chrysler, the storied American automaker, was entering a short, government-assisted Chapter 11 bankruptcy and would merge with Fiat, the Italian car maker.
But this "will not disrupt the lives of the people who work at Chrysler or the communities that depend on it," Obama said.
That seemed straightforward enough, and it mirrored the statements the Congress members had just heard from the top task force officials — that there would be no plant closings and no layoffs, with only short-term plant idling to restructure and move excess inventory off the lots. It also followed a telephone briefing with reporters little more than an hour earlier, in which a senior administration official was asked about the potential loss of Chrysler "head counts." The administration official, talking with reporters on the condition that he and others not be named, responded that "there are no plans to have any immediate plant closings or major white- or blue-collar head-count reductions."
Maybe someone should have asked what the White House meant by "no plans" and "disrupt."
Congress members say they were blind-sided by the news the next day, May 1, that Chrysler in fact intended to permanently shutter five plants: one each in Ohio, Wisconsin and Missouri, and two in Michigan.
The news was embarrassing as well as shocking, since many members, like LaTourette, had issued statements applauding, for instance, the report that no jobs would be cut at the 1,250-worker Twinsburg Stamping Plant. Candice Miller, a Republican congresswoman representing Sterling Heights, Mich., home of a 1,400-worker Chrysler plant, even went on the House floor soon after Obama's announcement, saying it meant, "most importantly, no plant closures or new job losses."
Wrong. Sterling Heights, like Twinsburg, would be sucker-punched the next day with news of a plant closing.
Were Congress members duped? If so, by whom and why?
The short answers appear to be yes, by both Chrysler and the White House.
Koff's very plausible theory is that the administration made its risible claims early Thursday that jobs would be saved to get all-day TV and online media plaudits and no blowback from localities they knew darn well would be affected. Then it sent Chrysler into bankruptcy on Thursday afternoon to ensure that the press didn't have enough time to adequately scrutinize the voluminous filing ahead of their Friday print runs. Koff says that only the Detroit Free Press was able to beat their print deadline. By the time anyone caught on to the ruse, the slow-news weekend arrived, while the attention of the national press went on hiatus.
As Koff says, "If it was, in fact, a media strategy, it worked."
A further appalling aspect in all of this is the unwillingness of virtually every Democrat involved except Dennis Kucinich to go on the record to criticize the administration's self-evident deception. Read the rest of the story, and you'll see pathetic cop-outs or stone silence from the likes of Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, Ohio Congressperson Betty Sutton, and Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm.
After the fact, the Obama administration is trying to claim that the closure of the affected plants was already envisioned in Chrysler's February viability plan. That doesn't even pass the stench test, let alone the smell test. A different Plain Dealer reporter and Ohio Republican Congressman LaTourette have separately shown that "Chrysler's Feb. 17 restructuring proposal never mentioned plans to close additional plants, whether unidentified or not."
A May 6 Plain Dealer story notes that "Chrysler acknowledges it failed to inform Twinsburg and other communities of imminent plant closures." I'm not aware of any such acknowledgment by the government, let alone anything resembling an apology from President Barack ("[it] will not disrupt the lives of the people who work at Chrysler or the communities that depend on it") Obama.
I wonder how the employees affected feel, knowing that they're being left jobless while their union's health plan controls half of the new company, and that they were further treated like mushrooms (kept in the dark and fed horse manure) until the attention of the nation's press disappeared?
If the national establishment media are offended at being used, and duped, I sure haven't seen it. I don't expect that I ever will.
* * * * * *
And it never has.
Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tom-blumer/2012/08/31/fact-checkers-what-lies-about-plant-closings-look#ixzz25BjqGYkN
***Patiently Waiting for Him***
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Estia Foundation of Australia
|This article forms part of the series
Orthodoxy in
|Edit this box
ESTIA Foundation is an initiative of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia.
ESTIA provides 24-hour respite care for young adults with physical and intellectual disabilities. The respite houses at Gladesville and Roselands have been designed and furnished so that they are a home away from home. The service is available to people of all nationalities and denominations who reside in Sydney, pending an interview and assessment process. Each house has the capacity to cater for five clients and a sixth bed is available for crisis situations. Full-time cooks prepares delicious and nutritious meals for our clients. ESTIA'S respite houses service 100 families per year.
ESTIA operates a weekend daycare program providing outings and activities that include music, dancing, art and craft, attending sporting activities, and shopping. This particular service offered by Estia is funded purely by donations and fundraising.
ESTIA has recently achieved another major milestone, with the commencement of a third service, which provides Permanent Accomodation for certain individuals. This service has arisen out of the need for ageing and concerned parents/carers to feel confident that their charges will be well cared for on a permanent basis.
ESTIA is basically funded by the State Government of New South Wales, a state of Australia. In its four years of operation, ESTIA has been recognised and acknowledged by Government departments, peer organisations and families in the community for its high standard of care and facilities. To enable Estia to continue the high standard of service achieved, we rely heavily on fundraising and donations.
Some of Estia's milestones:
29 November 1994 His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos announces the establishment of the Estia Foundation
13 July 1995 Incorporation of the Estia Foundation of Australia
23 November 1996 Visit by the Ecumenical Patriarche Bartholomeos 1st, preceding the announcement of recurrent funding by Premier Bob Carr for "St Andrew's Respite House"
20 April 1997 The opening of "St Andrew's House" in Gladesville
14 April 2002 The opening of "Elpida House" in Roselands
1 December 2003 Commencement of Permanent Accomodation Service
ESTIA'S MISSION STATEMENT: To improve the opportunities for people with disabilities; to meaningfully integrate and participate in the life of the community and to provide the assistance and support that such people, their families and carers, may individually require to achieve this outcome.
|Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia
Archdiocesan Organisations
|Educational Institutions
|St. Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College
|Philanthropic Institutions
|St. Basil's Homes | Estia Foundation | ProviCare Foundation
|St. Andrew's Orthodox Press
|Phronema | TO VEMA | The Voice of Orthodoxy
|Byzantine Music
| Byzantine Music School | Australian Byzantine Choir, NSW
Saint John of Damascus, SA | David the Psalmist, Vic.


text: Unfrozen Winter Contest Runner-Ups Published on May 06, 2016 We've announced the Hall family from Phoenix as our grand-prize winner in our Unfrozen Winter Contest, but since there were so many great entries, we wanted to share some more of our favorites. Check out the other amazing snowmen below! Lisa Kobin, New Jersey Lisa Kobin, New Jersey Ezequeil Silva, Jr., South Texas Cindy Jajuga, Southeast Arizona Kathlea Snoek, British Columbia Jennifer Collins, Eastern KY Emily Ward, North Carolina Trisha Mourot, Saskatchewan Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning would like to truly thank everyone who entered our Unfrozen Winter Contest. We enjoyed going through everyone's submission and appreciate your involvement. Back To BlogContact Us


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Treasury to sell more AIG sharesAugust 3, 2012: 4:21 PM ET
American International Group (AIG) said it will buy back up to $3 billion of its stock from the U.S. Treasury Friday as part of the government's offering of $4.5 billion of the insurer's shares on the open market.
The stock sale will move the U.S. government closer to a point where it would own just half of the insurer's shares outstanding. The Treasury Department currently holds a 61% stake in the company. AIG said that Citigroup (C), Deutsche Bank (DB), Goldman Sachs (GS), and JPMorgan Chase (JPM) are the banks working on the stock offering.
Shortly after Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy protection in September 2008, AIG was also teetering on the edge. The U.S. government offered AIG an $85 billion lifeline that eventually ballooned to $182 billion.
AIG's stock was halted mid-day Friday following the Treasury news, but shares moved higher once they resumed trading. The stock finished the day up 1.6%. It has been a good year so far for AIG. Shares have gained 35% in 2012. On Thursday, AIG reported a second-quarter profit of $2.33 billion, ahead of analysts' expectations.
The rebound for AIG has been good for the government and taxpayers as well. The stock closed Friday at $31.34. That's nearly 10% higher than the Treasury Department's break-even price of $28.72 a share for its investment.
-- CNNMoney's Ben Rooney contributed to this article.


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Travel to Turkey
Bask in the sun, explore ancient ruins or lose yourself in the bazaars of Istanbul
A mesmerizing mix of the exotic and the familiar, Turkey is much more than its clichéd image of a "bridge between East and West". Invaded and settled from every direction since the start of recorded history, it combines influences from the Middle East and the Mediterranean, the Balkans and Central Asia. Mosques coexist with churches, Roman theatres and temples crumble near ancient Hittite cities, and dervish ceremonies and gypsy festivals are as much a part of the social landscape as classical music concerts or football matches.
The friendliness of the Turkish people makes visiting a pleasure; indeed you risk causing offence by declining invitations, and find yourself making friends through the simplest of transactions. At the big resorts and tourist spots, of course, this can merely be an excuse to sell you something, but elsewhere, despite a history in which outsiders have so often brought trouble, the warmth and generosity are genuine.
Politically, modern Turkey was a grand experiment, largely the creation of one man – Kemal Atatürk. With superhuman energy, he salvaged the Turkish state from the wreckage of the Ottoman Empire and defined it as a modern, secular nation. Following 2011's record-breaking third successive election victory by the AKP (Justice and Development Party), largely supported by conservative Muslims, some secular Turks fear an Iranian-style Islamic theocracy. This seems most unlikely, however, in a country that has been a multi-party democracy for over sixty years, and successfully blended secularism, parliamentary democracy and global capitalism with Islam.
Despite official efforts to enforce a uniform Turkish identity, the population is remarkably heterogeneous. When the Ottoman Empire imploded, refugees streamed into Anatolia, including Muslim Slavs, Greeks, Albanians, Crimean Tatars, Daghestanlis, Abkhazians and Circassians. There they joined an already mixed population that included a very sizeable minority of Kurds. Thanks to recent arrivals from former Soviet or Eastern Bloc territories, that diversity endures. Another surprise may be Turkey's sheer youthfulness: more than half the population is under thirty, with legions of young people working in coastal resorts, and shoals of schoolkids surging through the city streets.
A huge part of Turkey's appeal lies in its archeological sites, a legacy of the bewildering succession of states – Hittite, Urartian, Phrygian, Greek, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Armeno-Georgian – that held sway here before the twelfth century. From grand Classical cities to hilltop fortresses and remote churches, some still produce exciting new finds today. In addition, Turkey holds a vast number of graceful Islamic monuments, as well as intriguing city bazaars, still hanging on amid the chain stores and shopping malls. Sadly, ugly modern architecture spoils most coastal resorts, where it's often hard to find a beach that matches the tourist-board hype. Inland Turkey, with its Asiatic expanses of mountain, steppe, lake, and even cloud-forest, may leave a more vivid memory, especially when accented by some crumbling kervansaray, mosque or castle.
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text:
|Biosequences .. Software .. Molbio soft .. Network News .. FTP
Postdoctoral Position University of California, Los Angeles An entry level postdoctoral position is available immediately to study mechanisms regulating auxin activity during plant development. A number of projects are available to characterize the function of the protein kinase PINOID in regulating auxin activity, including determining its interactions with known auxin signaling components, genetic screens to identify new components of the signaling pathway, and molecular analysis of PINOID and its homologues in Arabidopsis. Interested candidates should send applications, including a letter describing research interests, a curriculum vitae, availability and contact information for three references to: Sioux Christensen, University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, P.O. Box 951606, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1606. Applications may also be submitted by email to sioux at ucla.edu. -- -- Sioux Christensen, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Department of MCD Biology UCLA P.O. Box 951606 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606 310-794-0018 FAX 310-794-7096


text:
INSPIRE data set for the thema Hydrography - Physical Waters (HY_P)
|Product information
|INSPIRE data set for the thema Hydrography - Physical Waters (HY_P)
|Commercial code
|Export unit
|map sheet ZM 10 (18 km2)
|Unit price
|According to Regulation No 31/1995 Sb.
|Export formats
|Coordinate systems
|ETRS89/UTM zone 33N
|Product description
|The INSPIRE - Hydrography data from application schema Hydro-Physical Waters are harmonised according to INSPIRE Implementing Rules and correspond with INSPIRE xml schema in version 4.0 and ELF xml schema in version 1.0. This dataset of the hydrography of the Czech Republic therefore has the unified design with other data created for this INSPIRE theme in frame of whole Europe. The features are represented by a vector component with attributes containing wider information about names. The base dataset is the Fundamental Base of Geographic Data of the Czech Republic (ZABAGED®). The dataset is processed according to the application schema Physical Waters and contains features: Watercourse (centre line and area of watercourses broader than 4 m), StandingWater, LandWaterBoundary, Falls, Crossing (bridge, culvert, aqueduct), DamOrWeir, Ford and Lock. The attributes are based on the ZABAGED® data (including name), eventually on attributes that could have been derived (e.g. area) and values that are constant for whole dataset (e.g. the fact that the name is in Czech and written in Latin alphabet).
|Update cycle - update state
|The whole extension of ZABAGED® source data is updated in a three-year cycle. There is an update of selected features besides this global update. Updated version of derived data INSPIRE - Hydrography are published in a half-year interval.
|Terms of use - charging the data
|According to Regulation No 31/1995 Sb.
|Access restriction - licence agreement and other restriction
|According to Regulation No 31/1995 Sb.
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|Land Survey Office , Phone: +420 284 041 605 , e-mail: email@example.com
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text:
4BETTER OR WORSE: The week in review
Worst test for a "no-kill" shelter: The SPCA is ordered to euthanize a gray fox allegedly terrorizing UVA September 2 so it can be tested for rabies.
Worst blow to literacy: Virginia's Department of Corrections shuts down a 20-year-old program that send books to inmates because one book accidentally was mailed with a paper clip and another had a CD, Bryan McKenzie reports in the Daily Progress. Books Behind Bars operates out of Quest Bookshop and fills individual inmate requests for books, typically dictionaries, and has provided books for 11,000 inmates.
Diciest resolution: Charlottesville City Council considers a request September 8 to protect public employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity to be forwarded to the homophobic-voting General Assembly.
Latest Landmark Hotel suit: Bat Masonry Contractor files a complaint against Minor Family Hotels LLC and others in Charlottesville Circuit Court seeking enforcement of a $124,005.50 mechanic's lien, according to Tasha Kates in the Progress. So far, Clancy & Theys Construction Comapny has filed a $2.6 million suit and seven other subcontractors have filed mechanic's liens. Owner Halsey Minor is being sued by and is countersuing Specialty Finance Group, and ousted project developer Lee Danielson is being sued by and countersuing Minor.
Smallest drug bust? Jefferson Area Drug Enforcement task force takes seven (7) grams of cocaine off the street September 3 and arrests Gary Lee Holsapple, 25, who also has $3,797. Additional charges are pending.
Least professional: Massage therapist Robert John McMurray, 38, pleads guilty September 2 to taking indecent liberties with a 16-year-old babysitter when he tries to massage her genital area.
Most checkpointing: Albemarle police target Miller School Road September 3, stop 124 cars, and issue 11 tickets for safety and registration violations in two hours. County cops set up another checkpoint August 29 between 10:30pm and 1am on U.S. 250 at Western Albemarle High and snare three people driving under the influence and five other violators out of the 190 vehicles stopped. Armed with a recent $60K federal grant, travelers in the county can expect more roadblocks.
Most panicked: Suspended parole officer Rachel Ann Rossman claims this in court September 3 about her leaving the scene after crashing into a police cruiser at Avon Street and Monticello Avenue around 9:55pm July 20. She faces a felony count of failure to stop at an accident involving property damage, according to another Kates story.
Most liked by realtors: Republican Albemarle County supervisor candidate Rodney Thomas gets the nod from Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors over their pick in the last election, incumbent David Slutzky. Republican Duane Snow in the Samuel Miller District can expect contributions from CAAR, as can City Council candidates Mayor Dave Norris and Kristen Szakos, according to new Progress partner Charlottesville Tomorrow.
Most like sex ed: Local school systems allow parents to opt out of having their children hear President Barack Obama's speech about the importance of education because of concerns that his message may be political.
Latest Republican challenger to Congressman Tom Perriello: Albemarle real estate investor Laurence Verga becomes the third to toss his hat into the race, along with Fluvanna biology teacher Feda Kidd Morton and Beford county assembly line worker Bradley Rees.
Stupidest alleged credit card thief: Fannie Ophelia Henson, 46, is arrested for credit card theft August 29 after a card in a lost wallet is used to make almost $400 in purchases at the Emmet Street Kroger and Henson allegedly uses her discount card to save a little.
1 comment
We NEED Danielson to come back to Charlottesville, rejoin Farmington and make everything all right just like he did with Collin Rolhf. Hold on. Wait a minute. That ended in lawsuits, still empty buildings, bankrupt businesses and subcontractors and Danielson scorching as much earth as one hard drinking man can do.
It does not take a lot of research (you listening theHook) to figure out that the Merrill Loan collateral is still in place. What these ignorant journalists read but didn't tell you in the suit is that Merrill swept Mr Minors account and put a $999,999,999.99 hold on his account several days before ML sold themselves to BofA and 3 MONTHS BEFORE HIS LOAN WAS DUE.
I would love to know more about the the Hook's legal analyst David Heilberg. He came from CNN right? Exactly what year did he flunk out of law school and take the prestigious position of Legal Analyst for the Hook. He must be stoked.
Basically, everyone in Charlottesville who isn't an a__hole is hoping and praying Minor finally sues you so we can finally stop ourselves from reading your degenerate rag. Your like crack and you need to be flushed down the toilet so that a better, cleaner reformed Charlottesville can go on.


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Answer a few questions about your movie taste and discover personal recommendations.
What are the movies to watch on Shudder right now? Wonder no more! JustWatch shows you the ultimate Shudder movie list. We organized the movies by popularity to help you pick up the best movies on Shudder. You would rather just see horror movies on Shudder or comedy movies on Shudder? Simply use our filters below to find the one that will match your preferences. Yes, it's that simple! Our Shudder movie list is updated daily, to make sure you don't miss any of the good movies on Shudder.


text:
WEBA Board of Director's Meeting
Begins at 8:30am sharp. Please arrive at 8:20am.
Monthly the WEBA Board of Directors meets to discuss the direction and activities of the organization.
All WEBA members are welcome to participate in the public portion of the Board of Director's Meeting.
Topics each meeting may include:
~ minutes
~ Police report for the West End of Alexandria
~ Finance
~ Programs
~ Membership
~ Marketing
~ Communications
~ Government Relations
~ Local organizations updates
~ Special Projects
~ New Business
Contact President Stu Howard for more information or to present to the Board, firstname.lastname@example.com


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text:
The Hohenzollern Route runs for approximately 300 km from the top of the Neckar river through the foothills of the Alb, the Swabian Alb, the Danube valley and the wide plains of Upper Swabia to Lake Constance and Baden-Württemberg's most important historical castles and sites. No other dynasty is as closely linked to the fate of Germany than the Hohenzollern.
Visitors to the land of the Hohenzollern will be greeted by magnificent forests, dramatic rivers, castles, palaces, abbeys and a multitude of interesting museums. The Zollernalb region is home to ten mountains that are over 1000 m in height and the splendid Hohenzollern Castle is just as well-known as King Ludwig II's Neuschwanstein Castle, which is the region's most prominent landmark. The House of Hohenzollern also gave rise to princes, emperors and kings, although their reign ended a century ago.
The finest view
Built on a cone-shaped mountain where the Swabian Albs are at their highest, the towers, battlements and fortifications of the ancestral seat of the Hohenzollern hover like a mirage over the forested landscape. This imposing building is a masterpiece of 19th century Neo-Gothic architecture and offers breath-taking views of the surrounding countryside. Its fortifications, castle garden, museum (complete with treasure chamber) and a myriad of other rarities including a secret passage, are an experience not to be missed.
Living history in a majestic location
The castle has always belonged to the noble houses of Prussia and Hohenzollern and is one of the most beautiful and frequently visited sites in Europe. Whether you opt for a tour on foot, by bike or from the comfort of a car, don't forget to take full advantage of the delicious Swabian cuisine – in the style of the Hohenzollerns, of course.
The Hohenzollern Route.
Length: approximately 300 km
Theme: culture, Hohenzollern, history
Albstadt: largest district capital of the Hohenzollerns
Bahlingen: museums, Hohenzollern castle
Beuron: abbey
Bisingen: Hohenzollern Castle
Haigerloch: palace, the Atomkeller Museum
Ostrach: Habsthal Abbey
Schwenningen: clock making
Sigmaringen: prince's castle
Kaks kasulikku klahvikombinatsiooni brauseris suumimiseks:
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Täpsemat teavet saate, kui klõpsate brauseri pakkuja ikoonile:


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WASHINGTON – The battle over who will take over the troubled Silver Spring Transit Center once it's fixed has officially started.
A hearing on the status of the delayed and over-budget center, which a recent report also said has structural problems, was held Wednesday by the Montgomery County Council.
Through a written agreement on the deal — a memorandum of understanding (MOU) — the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) was supposed to take over the transit hub.
WMATA says that won't happen now since the center failed to meet safety standards. But Tim Firestine, chief administrative officer for Montgomery County, says there's no way the county is going to operate the center.
"We believe within that MOU with WMATA, we can enforce their obligations under that MOU. Those obligations do include operating, owning, maintaining the facility," Firestine says.
While WMATA says it will run buses out of the center and listen to plans about fixing the flawed project, it won't accept responsibility for the facility.
In an email to WTOP Wednesday night regarding the issue, WMATA spokeswoman Morgan Dye says the agency stands by its position.
WTOP's Kate Ryan contributed to this report.
Follow @KateRyanWTOP and @WTOP on Twitter.


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A Chinese cook is the brains behind these noodle-slicing robots. Japanese superhero Ultraman inspired the appearance, but necessity inspired the concept: last year, the cook needed help slicing the Northern Chinese dish "knife cut noodles" and created a robot friend to pitch in.
Now, the cook is mass-producing the robots—robots with pissed-off eyebrows—and selling them to other restaurants. To date, the cook-turned-robot-magnet has sold over 3,000 bots with each priced at 10,000 yuan (US$1,600).
According to People's Daily (via MIC), the noodle bot can cut up 150 noodle slices per minute. It's an automatic slicer, and the arm continuously dices and slices. However, the lights in the robots' eyes flash, and the contraption even plays music!
Ultraman fans will be happy to know that the Ultraman inspired creations even have Color Timers (Ultraman's lawyers might not be so thrilled), but let's hope that these timers don't mean the robots can only stay on Earth for only three minutes!
If you do not like the Japanese superhero version, it seems the robot can be fitted to other casings—such as a pig chef, scary sheep, or oh-Lord-no-no Pinocchio.
Check out the robot in action in the People's Daily link below.
TV.People's Daily [Official Site via MIC]
中国各地刀削面机器人盘点 [163.com]
Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.


text:
Christopher Meloni has signed on to play the lead in Fox's upcoming comedy pilot based on Justin Halpern's book I Suck at Girls, TVGuide.com has confirmed.
The former Law & Order: SVU star will play Jack Dunlevy in the untitled project. The character is described as an ex-military, no-nonsense oncologist who takes on extra parental responsibilities for his children when his wife enrolls in law school.
Claudia Lee will play Jack's daughter, Rachel, and Deception's Connor Buckley will play his son, Frankie.
The pilot will be written by Halpern and Schumacker, who will also executive-produce alongside Cougar Town's Bill Lawrence and Jeff Ingold.
Do you think Meloni is a good fit for the role?


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Flames fans are invited to celebrate the 2012-13 Liberty men's basketball season with head coach Dale Layer and the Flames. The annual Liberty Flames Men's Basketball Awards Banquet is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on May 2 inside the Craddock Terry Hotel and Event Center. The cost of the meal is $30 per person, which will be collected the evening of the banquet. The deadline for reserving your seat is April 26. Those interested in attending the banquet should contact men's basketball office administrator Rebekah Ray at 434-582-2337 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Please do not call the Flames Ticket Office regarding the banquet. All reservations will be handled by Rebekah Ray in the men's basketball office. The Flames recently completed an improbable run through the Big South Championship, capturing the conference title and punching a ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in program history. Liberty kicked off March Madness with its NCAA First Four appearance against North Carolina A&T in Dayton, Ohio, where it was edged by the Aggies, 73-72.
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text:
Woman dies after I-77 crash in Yadkin County
4 people injured in all
A woman died after a crash sent four people to the hospital Friday on Interstate 77.
The crash happened at 11:55 a.m. on the northbound side near the Yadkin River bridge on the Surry-Yadkin County line.
Betsy Montgomery, 88, died at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center Friday night, troopers said. Two others in the same vehicle were still recovering at Baptist as of Tuesday.
The fourth victim was treated at Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital and released.
A speeding Cadillac rear-ended a Honda Civic, troopers said. The Cadillac bounced off a guardrail and came to rest on the bridge, while the Honda spun and hit a guardrail.
No other vehicles were involved. Everyone had seat belts on, troopers said.
The Asheville Citizen-Times reported Montgomery was the wife of former Asheville mayor Wayne Montgomery, as well as an accomplished swimming coach with ties to UNC-Asheville. Her daughter Mary competed in the 1972 Olympics.
Delays on I-77 lasted about two hours. At its worst point, delays stretched about 9 miles back to Highway 421.


text:
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You are not satisfied with your purchase? It is possible to return it under 30 days.
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We can be reached from Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 20 p.m. on 01 47 27 47 14 - Price of a local call
or at firstname.lastname@example.com, we will get back to you within 24 business hours.
In 2003, the French brand Oxygen Watch arrives to be sold exclusively on board airlines. The technicality of the models, their quality and their versatility make this brand a must for travelers.
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Hello guys, I am implementing a Radix Sort using an array of queues.
So far I have created the array and print it and is working fine.
I have also extracted the LSD from each integer.
No my target is to store the integers it the queues according to the LSD. (This would be the first pass).
This is supposed to be processed in the for looped between line 29 and 35.
-- problem is that when I deque the integers are being displayed in the same way as at the beginning!
I know my problem is in my enqueue but I don't know how to do it.
Here is the code:-
Thanks in advance for your help.import java.util.*; public class MainProgram { public static void main(String[] args) { Scanner userinput = new Scanner(System.in); System.out.print("Please enter the size of the array. "); int count = userinput.nextInt(); //user enters the size of the array. int[] numbers = new int[count]; //array containing hte integers. int r=0; QueueLinkedList[] queue = new QueueLinkedList[10]; //created an instance of the queue. 10 bins needed for the Radix Sort. for(int i=0; i<queue.length; i++) { queue[i] = new QueueLinkedList(); } for(int index = 0; index < numbers.length; index++) //generating random integers. { numbers[index] = (int)(Math.random()*1001); System.out.print(index+" "); System.out.println(numbers[index]); } for(int i=0; i<numbers.length; i++) //identifying the LSD and store the integers in queues accoring to the LSD. { //the mistake is in this loop! numbers[r] = (numbers[i] % 10)/1; // System.out.println(numbers[r]); queue[r].enqueue(numbers[i]); //queue[r].dequeue(); } for(int i=0;i<queue.length;i++){ //deque and printing the integers. Here the integers should be sorted by the LSD. 1st PASS. queue[r].dequeue(); //however output is noot good! } } }


text: Here we are with the first posting of John in 1980 photographs, from now until December i'll be posting groups of photo's of John and Yoko in 1980. I understand that some people look upon that time frame as a very sad one, and i understand that, i guess i'm fortunate as i've only ever looked upon, and experienced that era as a joyous and wonderfull time. It was when we had John back with us, working and creating at a dizzying pace. It's the only time i 'had' John as a fan, as he'd already retired by the time i got into the Beatles in 1975, so each second of John in 1980 is precious to me, i look upon this time .. right up to 10.48pm on December the 8th as a time of joy. When i visited the Dakota a few years ago people asked 'Wasn't it sad?, wasn't it creepy?' and in all honesty no, the thought of the tragedy crossed my mind, and then left .. i remembered and focused on the happy times John spent there, and all the times he walked in and out of the place living and enjoying life, so if you're wondering, that's why i'm celebrating John in 1980.


text:
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text:
As Marco Schallibaum met with the Montreal media for the first time on Tuesday it became clear why his predecessor as Impact coach Jesse Marsch never stood a chance.
Schallibaum, named coach of the second-year Major League Soccer club on Monday, answered questions in English and French and could have fielded more in Italian or German had any been asked of the 50-year from Switzerland.
The Zurich native came up as a player and coach in European soccer, and is a thoroughly European person. And that is the style the Impact, from president Joey Saputo to sporting director Nick De Santis, wants to lead the team.
"We always said we wanted to get a European," said Saputo. "Getting into MLS, we were told that it's different, that you need to have American experience, so that's what we went for.
"We moved away from what we really believed."
Marsch, a Wisconsin native in his first head coaching job, took the expansion team to a respectable 13-15-6 record but left at the end of the season over what both he and management said were philosophical differences.
They started the campaign with a mostly North American line-up playing a heavy running game, but during the season management brought in a succession of veteran players from Italy and Switzerland that changed the chemistry on and off the pitch.
They included former Italian national team defender Alessandro Nesta and the team's first designated player Marco Di Vaio.
Saputo said that is what he and the club's fans wanted, and now he hopes he has the coach to perfect that style.
Schallibaum signed a one-year contract with an option year that will kick in automatically if the Impact make the playoffs.
Known as a hard-nosed defender in his 15 seasons as a player in Switzerland, where he earned 31 national team caps, he became a vocal, emotional coach of a variety of clubs from 1995 to 2011.
"As a coach I like to attack," he said. "To go after victories.
"It is better to have the ball than to chase after it. My style is more offence than defence."
A knock on him was that he couldn't seem to hold onto jobs for very long, moving for team to team every year or so, but he said he spent four years with Young Boys Bern and would likely still be with FC Lugano had the team not changed presidents while the squad was battling for a championship.
Nearly all coaches brought in from Europe have struggled in MLS, but Schallibaum said it shouldn't make a difference because "soccer is soccer" no matter where it's played.
Toronto FC also went to the European game to find a new manager on Tuesday when they named Queens Park Rangers defender Ryan Nelsen as coach, although he is a New Zealander.
Saputo felt a European would bring credibility both to the locker-room and the fans.
"We're a very European-type city," he said. "We're different from Toronto and the American cities.
"The culture is different. Our fans didn't accept that we brought in so many American players. They wanted to see European and South American players. When we talk about the philosophies not being the same, that's what it was."
That said, it was important that the new coach not be Italian either.
Saputo, De Santis and several other Impact employees are Canadians of Italian descent and the squad has former Italian league players Nesta, Di Vaio, Matteo Ferrari, Nelson Rivas and Andrea Pisanu. There are also former Swiss league players Felipe Martins and Dennis Iapichino, who both speak Italian and who played under Schallibaum at Lugano.
"We got six or seven CVs from Italian coaches and we said we had to be careful," said Saputo. "We didn't want to alienate certain American or Canadian players and give too much importance to the Italian players."
The club's long term goal is to continue to bring over experienced Europeans and blend them with local players from its academy and some U.S. players.
Saputo said Schallibaum has the know-how to do that, as well as help develop local coaches. He agreed to keep on Montreal native Mauro Biello as an assistant coach and add Philippe Eullaffroy, who will remain director of the academy as well as be an assisant coach. Mike Sorber and Denis Hamlett remain on the staff.
Saputo said the team will speak French to the local media and English in the locker-room and on the field, but Schallibaum's versatility with languages will help in one-on-one discussions with players.
The club hopes the veteran manager can find an answer to the Impact's struggle to win games away from home, where they repeated wasted leads by conceding late goals. They were 10-4-3 at home, but 2-12-3 away.
"Whether it was the message or tactics, there were questions to be answered," De Santis said. "A lot had to do with identity.
"At home, we new who we were. We dictated play. On the road, where it's more difficult and the other team has the pressure to play, that's where I felt there wasn't a clear message of who we were."
Saputo said the team would not seek a second designated player before the 2013 campaign. The club is close to the salary cap with 23 players under contract and with bodies to add from the academy and the MLS SuperDraft. They may look at a DP during the summer transfer window, however.
The Impact hope the need for a capable winger will be filled with Pisanu, who played in a pair of exhibition games in Italy after the MLS season. He is on loan for a year from Di Vaio's old club Bologna.
Schallibaum watched the two Italian games and also saw video of some of the Impact's league matches during the hiring process.
"It is a team with a lot of quality," he said. "I'm ready for the challenge and I'm ready to be here for a long time."


text:
Diabetes Drug Shows Promise In Fighting Lethal Cancer Complication
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Insulin resistance, the hallmark of type 2 diabetes and a condition often associated with obesity, is paradoxically also an apparent contributor to muscle wasting and severe fat loss that accompanies some cancers, according to new research.
And in an animal study, a diabetes drug that promotes insulin sensitivity slowed the progression of muscle wasting and fat loss, the main consequences of a syndrome called cachexia, in mice with colon cancer tumors.Martha Belury
Though it remains unknown whether that drug, rosiglitazone, has potential to prevent cachexia in humans with cancer, the finding led researchers to believe that curbing insulin resistance in cancer patients could improve their quality of life.
Research suggests that cachexia is responsible for between one-fifth and one-third of all cancer deaths.
The insulin resistance and cachexia both appear to be connected to inflammation induced either by tumors themselves or by secretions from tumors that activate an immune response, the researchers say.
"Insulin resistance usually follows obesity. In this case, it precedes uncontrollable fat loss," said Martha Belury, senior author of the study and a professor of human nutrition at Ohio State University. "The insulin resistance is the process we've identified that occurs soon after tumors form. So if we can change that part of the disease, we might be able to change the progression and trajectory of how fast fat and muscle are lost as well. That's our goal."
The research appears online and is scheduled for future print publication in the International Journal of Cancer.
Belury and colleagues conducted two experiments. In the first, the researchers sought to demonstrate that animals developed insulin resistance shortly after they developed cancer and before muscle and fat loss became evident. In the second, they tested the effectiveness of the insulin sensitizing drug rosiglitazone against that same tendency toward insulin resistance.
"We found that those markers of protein and muscle degradation are increased in mice with cachexia, and then when we gave them rosiglitazone, that significantly slowed that degradation," Belury said.
The scientists injected mice with colon cancer cells to mimic one of several digestive-system cancers strongly associated with the development of cachexia. Less than two weeks after the cancer started growing, these mice had become insulin resistant. Control mice without tumors had normal insulin sensitivity. Insulin resistance means that the presence of insulin does not initiate the transfer of sugar, or glucose, from the blood into the tissues, where it is used for energy.
Just three days later, the mice with cancer weighed, on average, 20 percent less than control mice with no tumors; weight loss of at least 5 percent is considered to be a sign of cachexia in humans. By day 19, the total muscle weight in mice with cancer decreased by 29 percent and the weight of their fat tissue dropped by 73 percent. Such rapid loss of muscle and fat indicated these mice had indeed developed cachexia.
"These data provide evidence that in mice with colon cancer tumors, insulin resistance may be involved in the development of cachexia rather than occur as a result of cachexia," Belury said. "And the key here is that people and animals with cachexia do not want to be losing weight. They can eat more and it doesn't matter. There's something internally that's driving this fat and muscle loss."
In the second study, the scientists tested whether rosiglitazone could "rescue" the insulin resistance in mice with colon cancer.
In this study, mice were fed a high-fat diet and randomized into three groups: mice with and without tumors receiving a saline solution as a control, and mice with tumors treated with daily injections of rosiglitazone.
Within eight days, the mice with cancer receiving the rosiglitazone showed more sensitivity to insulin than did the mice with tumors that received no medication. The insulin sensitivity of the medicated mice matched that of mice without tumors.
Similarly, the mice receiving rosiglitazone actually gained weight in this study, as did the mice without tumors. The mice with tumors receiving no treatment lost fat tissue, suggesting they were experiencing the onset of cachexia – despite the high-fat diet they were eating.
In addition to stopping fat and muscle loss, the rosiglitazone also dramatically reduced two biological markers present when proteins break down, particularly in muscles, and a third marker that indicates cells are eating their own amino acids in an attempt to survive.
"We found that those markers of protein and muscle degradation are increased in mice with cachexia, and then when we gave them rosiglitazone, that significantly slowed that degradation," Belury said.
It's too soon to know whether the same drug would have the same effect on humans with cancer, Belury noted. Not all people with cancer develop cachexia, and it's difficult to catch cachexia before severe weight loss has already occurred. And by the time muscles begin to break down, the entire body reacts to the release of amino acids, meaning treatment at that time would have to take such reactions into account.
"For this research, we wanted to catch cachexia as it was having an influence on muscle wasting without the wasting muscle having an influence back on the cachexia," Belury said.
In future studies, the scientists plan to further test the timing and dosage of rosiglitazone and other insulin sensitizers to see if the experiments produce a "prominent, universal effect," Belury said.
This work was supported by the Kennedy Professorship at Ohio State, which is held by Belury, and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.
Co-authors of the study were Michelle Asp and Min Tian of Ohio State's Department of Human Nutrition, and Angela Wendel, a former Ohio State student now with the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Contact: Martha Belury, (614) 292-1680; email@example.com
Written by Emily Caldwell, (614) 292-8310; email@example.com


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Lots going on at the Knoxville Library
August 2, 2011
A flurry of activity is planned this week at the Knoxville Branch of the Carnegie Library, 400 Brownsville Road.
Activities include World Crafts for Kids on Wednesday, Aug. 3, beginning at 3 p.m. The fun program for kids in K-5 includes stories and crafts from cultures across the globe. Attendance at a program earns credit for summer reading.
The Thursday Teen Art Club continues on Thursday, Aug. 4, from 2-3 p.m. Teens can stave off summer boredom by trying a new art activity each week. Projects created this summer may be displayed at the gallery show at the Main Library in August.
A Summer Reading Club Closing Celebration is planned for Saturday, Aug. 6, from noon-2 p.m. The festivitities will include food, fun, prizes and entertainment to celebrate the end of Summer Reading Club.
Gamerday is every Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. Come in every Saturday for an afternoon of gaming. Play Chess and the game Go, a game that is very popular in Asia and is more than 2,500 years old. Or bring your own game. All ages and all skill levels welcome.
Want to learn more about Go? A great place to begin: http://playgo.to/iwtg/en/
For more information, call the Knoxville Branch Library at 412-381-6543.


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Martha McCarty: Five Island Diaries
On Sunday, January 25, at 2 p.m. at the Plaza Branch, 4801 Main St., local author Martha McCarty will discuss her book Five Island Diaries: Stories of Love Lost and Found.
McCarty, winner of Kansas City's 2008 Thorpe Menn Award for Five Island Diaries, pens a collection that revisits America between World War II and the war in Vietnam. In the opening story, a troubled playmate sets the narrator's brother on fire with a lighted match and lawnmower gas and all that seems a fairy tale collides with reality. Twelve linked stories then unfold against the blissful summers and brittle winters of a northern landscape that is as contradictory as the heart.
The book is described as "a lively memoir filled with life, love, laughter, and seasoned with tragedy and death, but never sunk by loneliness."
This event is co-sponsored by Prospero's Bookstore and Spartan Press. The event is free and a 1:30 p.m. reception precedes the discussion. Click here or call 816.701.3407 to RSVP.


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Why would you use an Alien universe movie to market anything you would ingest? Coors Light has taken the chance that you might associate its beer with edible alien larvae with this co-branded Prometheus TV spot.
I just hope that the doomed members of the Prometheus crew get something better than Coors Light as their final boozy beverage. Otherwise, it will be truly horrifying.
Coors Light Partners With "Prometheus," Launches Co-Branded TV Ad [Yahoo Finance - Hat tip to Sridhar]


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The past simple is formed by adding 'ed' to regular verbs. Verbs with irregular pasts have to be learned sepatately e.g. go - went, eat - ate etc.
The present simple is formed with the present form of the verb, which looks very like the infinitive but takes an 's' in the third person singular - I live, he lives.
The future simple is (I suppose) formed with 'will + infinitive' - I will go, he will eat.
The progressive tenses are formed with 'be' (in past, present or future) + the -ing form of the verb - He is playing, they were writing, I'll be working.
The perfect tenses are formed with 'have' + participle. Past - I had done. Present - I have done. Future - I will have done.
The perfect progressive tenses are formed with 'have / had / will have + been + ing form. Past - I had been doing. Present - I have been doing. Future - I will have been doing.
Why don't you look at your sentences again and try to work out what tense they are in? Then post it and someone here will look at it for you.


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Preparing Your House For Sale
You've taken a big step and decided to sell your house. Here are a host of tips and suggestions that will help maximize your properties' sale potential.
Add Curb Appeal
The exterior of your home forms the first impression a prospective buyer will have. Stand in front of your house and view it as though you were the buyer. Then, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is the yard mowed, weeded, trimmed and watered?
- Does the structure need painting or washing?
- Is there a new welcome mat on the front porch?
- Can I read the house number clearly?
- Are the windows clean – inside and out?
- Are there damaged windows or missing screens?
- Are there extra vehicles in the driveway?
- Are fences and gates in good condition?
- Are the rain gutters and roof in good condition?
Create Neutral And Welcoming Living Areas
Your house may satisfy the practical requirements a potential buyer is looking for – location, price, style and amenities – but does it inspire an emotional connection? Here's how to let prospective buyers imagine themselves living in your home:
- Create a clean, organized entry
- Remove clutter such as stray newspapers and magazines
- Clean all light fixtures and replace dull lightbulbs
- Repair wall and ceiling cracks
- Paint walls a neutral color (white never fails!)
- Scrub, wax or seal floors
- Make sure carpeting is clean
- Rearrange furniture in living room and family rooms to create more open space
Highlight The Kitchen And Bathrooms
Prospective buyers tend to focus on two key areas: the kitchen and the bathroom. Attention to details in these rooms can make a big difference:
- Place a bowl of fresh fruit in the kitchen
- Put seldom-used and small appliances in cupboards
- Inspect cabinets and clear countertops of clutter
- Clean all mirrors and objects left on countertops
- Fix leaky faucets and caulk sinks and tubs
- Be sure to have coffee, tea and treats for guests
- Place soaps, bath oils and thick towels in bathrooms
- Scrub and polish all sinks and tubs
- Purchase new shower curtains and rugs
- Repair missing grout and tiles
- Deodorize garbage disposer, dishwasher and trash cans
Focus On Other Rooms, Basement, Garage and Backyard
Once you've reviewed the kitchen and bathroom areas, walk through your entire home:
- Vacuum under beds
- Be sure the bed is made with decorative pillows and matching blankets
- Place a scented candle on the nightstand and scented paper or sachets in closets
- Add a few books, art and pottery to your entertainment center
- Drape a textured throw over the corner of a sofa or chair
- Wipe down the washer, dryer, furnace, water softener and other appliances
- Put tools in bins in the garage or workshop
- Power wash the patio and give decks new life with a coat of stain
- Place Lawn furniture in conversational groupings and add miniature lights on trees or shrubs
Transform a house FOR SALE into a house SOLD!
You can subtly influence potential buyers' attitudes toward your house by making them feel welcome and comfortable.
We are here for YOU!
We'd like to be your strategic source for support and strategy during the sale of your house. We can also help you find your new home. Don't hesitate to contact us at 334.792.7474 or email us at [email protected]


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May 31, 2011
Spatially Limited Gardening: The Indoors is the New Outdoors
Posted in Living by Windermere Guest Author
It is the official start to the gardening season! For those who have large outdoor spaces, it is the perfect time of year to make a trip to the home and garden store, work in your gardens, and plant new growth. For those who live in smaller city quarters and whose outdoor space comfortably holds little more than a potted plant, we are forced to be more creative with our green space.
Read More >
May 26, 2011
Weekend Warrior: Quick projects to upgrade your home
Posted in Living by Tara Sharp
Memorial Day traditionally represents the kick-off of summer. Kids are getting out of school, families are making summer vacation plans, and backyard barbeques are on everyone's minds. This is also a great time of the year to get your house in order and ready for the summer season.
Read More >
May 16, 2011
Moving Life Home
Posted in Architecture by Windermere Guest Author
These buildings will add value to the homeowner's property over time, and if they are built properly, they'll appreciate in conjunction with the value of the home. The reasons for having one are many and personal, but if you were to drive down many city streets, you will find one hiding under the trees in a corner of the backyard.
Read More >
May 08, 2011
May Perspective
Posted in Perspectives by Jill Jacobi Wood, OB Jacobi & Geoff Wood
The camaraderie is everywhere you look: on the banks of the Montlake Cut, where Seattle residents welcome visitors from around the world to the beautiful University of Washington campus; on the water, where great athletes join together to do what none of them could do individually. Thousands of people coming together for a common cause. That, in and of itself, is powerful stuff.
Read More >
May 02, 2011
Spring in your step: smart ways to get rid of the clutter and update your décor
Posted in Living by Tara Sharp
What are your tips for preparing for spring? What are your favorite spring rituals, once the cleaning is done?
Read More >


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HD Manipulation by Feetback Kennel Has Stirred up a Storm
Inheritance of Canine Hip Dysplasia in GSD
A recent news about HD manipulation by Feetback Kennel has stirred up a storm on the Internet. The news reported by GSD World News stated, "Due to several inquiries, news and some comments, a little explanation on the subject of such claims against the Kennel Feetback. The owner of said specimen, said in response of the dog Lampio di Serbio Feetback claiming that it has fallen victim to the fraudulent tactic of HD manipulation." He further went on to explain that he bought the dog at the age of 12 months. At the time, HD / ED and DNA (in Germany) were already registered with the SV and elbows were rated as "normal" and the hips as "almost normal". There followed a lot of work and success, because in the end he completed the prestigious IPO 3 licensing on lifetime. But after receiving the letter from the SV, he submitted the x-ray to the centre to satiate their assumption that the dog may be a victim of HD manipulation."
The owner claimed, that the health of his dog is personally (even if not in the interests of the blamed breeder) very important for him. The news that arrived a few weeks later, clearly stating – HD Manipulation, shocked him. The disappointed owner wrote on GSD World News' social media page as – "Sg 2" Onar Feetback has been manipulated". He highlights this as a socio-economic problem that "is gear and fabric in the Serbian breeding of Dejan Simovic, Goran Pesic and Miodrag Stojancevic!"
Unscrupulous activities like this is a serious threat to the breed!
Understanding the inheritance rate of CHD:
Dysplasia is a complex polygenic disorder that is not congenital in nature. The phenotypic expression of CHD is also linked with environmental factors. Even dogs with normal phenotypes maybe carriers as it is a complex polygenic disorder and control of passing on of said genes would increase the selection pressure on the breeders. It is sad to note, that due to unethical practices when considering breeding partners (where genomic breeding values should be prioritized). This is the only control system to take this trait off the breeding line has often been ignored or manipulated as the case reported above. Selection pressure on the breeders may be burdensome but is for the good of the species when they consider genomic breeding values over aesthetic counterparts.
The best possible solution of controlling the inheritance of this potentially debilitating condition is through selection of dogs with better individual phenotypes when breeding. In a polygenic disease, different genes contribute small yet substantial additive effects that manifests into the disease. But in case of CHD, environmental as well as other factors such as age, sex, body weight of specimen and the conditioning during the first 60 days of a pup's life is said to influence the hip joint formation and expression of the disease. Molecular studies to understand the manifestation and genetic basis of CHD has been going on for several years now. But hasn't returned any substantial progress due to low interest from concerned communities.
However, the published inheritance rate of CHD traits is variable and reportedly range between 0.1 to 0.60. The differences of inheritance rate estimations depend on the trait considered, calculation methods used, selection, and the population and sample used for estimation. For example, the heritability is seen to be as high as 0.83 in case of passive hip laxity in the Estrela Mountain breed of dogs from Portugal. Thus, it safe to conclude that the genetic improvements after stringent selection of traits of those with higher inheritance rates, will accumulate over time. And if such malpractices are continued for personal gains of breeders, then the selection pressures for breeders will be bigger per generation and be corrosive to the health and welfare of the species we love.
As lovers of dogs we must promote the idea of selection and breeding of specimens with low hip scores to control and reduce the incidence of hip dysplasia.
Author bio:
Pritha Biswas is an independent researcher and published science and research non-fiction writer and editor, with a background in Zoological sciences presently working on understanding the behavior and breeding nuances of German Shepherd dogs with an outsider outlook. Copying and re-publishing this article is subject to a written permission sought from Pritha Biswas and Aringsburg via email aringsburg(at)gmail.com Read more...


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U.S. Commerce Secretary John Bryson said Chinese officials promised foreign technology suppliers equal access to their booming clean energy industry in trade talks amid pressure to revive global growth.
Bryson said the officials told him Monday the country will invest $1.7 trillion over the next five years inclean energy and other emerging technologies. He said they pledged a "level playing field" for U.S. and other foreign suppliers.
Beijing is spending heavily to develop wind, solar and other clean energy, both to curb demand for imported oil and gas and to create profitable industries. But business groups complain it is improperly supporting Chinese technology suppliers in violation of free-trade pledges and trying to limit foreign access to promising fields.
Chinese officials said foreign producers of new energy vehicles will be eligible for subsidies on an equal basis with local rivals, the U.S. Trade Representative's office said in a statement. It said Beijing promised not to require them to help Chinese partners set up new brands or hand over technology — two conditions automakers worried might be imposed as a condition of being allowed to make or sell cars in China.
Access to China's markets for high-tech goods is especially sensitive for the United States and other Western economies that want technology exports to shore up flagging economic growth and cut high unemployment.
"They intend to provide a fair and level playing field in those industries," Bryson said after the two-day meeting of the U.S.-Chinese Joint Committee on Commerce and Trade in the southwestern city of Chengdu.
The top Chinese envoy, Vice Premier Wang Qishan, "said there would be significant opportunities to Chinese and U.S. and other foreign companies," Bryson said.
That pledge also covers high-end equipment manufacturing, energy-saving and environmental technologies, biotechnology, information technology, alternative energy and advanced materials, according to the U.S. Trade Representative.
The U.S.-Chinese committee aims to defuse trade tensions by focusing on individual policy disputes. Previous meetings have produced pledges by Beijing to lower barriers to imports of American beef and to fight rampant Chinese software piracy.
This week's meeting came amid mounting demands by some American lawmakers for punitive tariffs on Chinese goods if Beijing fails to ease exchange-rate controls. They say China's yuan is kept undervalued, giving its exporters an unfair trade advantage and wiping out jobs in the United States.
Also Monday, the two governments announced agreements to improve cooperation on intellectual property, technology, energy, trade statistics and business relations.
Beijing promised to take more steps to combat rampant software piracy by promoting use of legal software by local governments and companies, the U.S. statement said. It said they would launch a joint effort next year to stop online sales of counterfeit goods.
Earlier Monday, Wang appealed to U.S. envoys for cooperation to revive the global economy, emphasizing shared goals instead of disputes over currency and other irritants.
"We are facing a very serious global economic crisis," Wang said. "Ensuring economic health is the responsibility of every nation. Unbalanced progress is better than balanced decline."
Leaders of the world's biggest and second-biggest economies have pledged to work together to shore up global growth but ties have been strained by complaints about China's exchange-rate controls and access to its markets. Beijing is uneasy about Washington's moves to expand its political and military presence in Asia.
Bryson warned earlier Monday that American lawmakers and businesspeople "are moving toward a more negative view" of U.S.-Chinese trade ties.
President Barack Obama pressed Premier Wen Jiabao, China's top economic official, over Beijing's currency controls in a meeting last week on the sidelines of an Asian economic regional gathering in Indonesia.
The U.S. trade deficit with China hit a monthly high of $29 billion in August and is on track to surpass last year's $273 billion, the highest ever recorded with a single country.


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At Pierre Auto Centers we want to make sure you get the right part for your car when you need it. With Pierre Auto Centers, we're always trying our best to offer you great specials and savings at our parts department.
At Pierre Auto Centers we only offer you specials and coupons that are going to get you the best quality parts you need at a great price. You'll drive off happy knowing you have a lasting part at a great price in your vehicle.
Visit the Pierre Auto Centers, view our specials and get in touch with us or stop by to take advantage of the part(s) that'll best fit your needs. We are constantly updating our specials to make sure everyone can be accommodated, so be sure to check back frequently.


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Icon Motorcycle Gear
Icon Motorcycle Gear, Icon Street Bike Gear and Accessories
BTO Sports carries the largest and best variety of Icon motorcycle gear. BTO is constantly paying attention to what the newest and most popular Icon street bike gear is so that you can rest assured that we have what you're looking for. With this is mind, if you're looking for Icon street bike gear and accessories, start browsing on BTOSports.com today.
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new Quick View Icon - 1000 Advokat Backpack $180.00
new Quick View Icon - 1000 Tech Slingbag $115.00
new Quick View Icon - Airform Helmet $185.00


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Atria Dress Velvet by Helen Clinch and Myra Nigris
High-quality tailoring for the contemporary woman. Having graduated from the London College of Fashion, Helen Clinch and Myra Nigris honed their skills working with leading designers including Ben de Lisi and Roland Mouret. They create truly beautiful and distinctive garments through exquisite tailoring. Passionate about designing clothes for strong, confident women who stand out from the crowd, the pieces are designed to inspire, challenge and evoke a sense of certainty and assurance in the individual.


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View more videos at: http://nbcmiami.com.
South Floridians who happened to be looking in the right place at the right time Sunday night saw one spectacular light show – possibly a sporadic meteor.
The Coast Guard began getting flooded with phone calls about 7:30 p.m., with reports of folks seeing flare-like objects from Jacksonville to Key West, according to Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Sabrina Laberdesque.
People called in, describing the flares "as orange or red fireballs in the sky," Laberdesque said. The display was limited to the sky: No injuries were reported, Laberdesque said.
A sporadic meteor is basically a rocky object that comes from the asteroid belt, said Mike Hankey, operations manager for the American Meteor Society, based in Genesee, N.Y. The group logged 27 reports within about the first two hours of the event, he said.
"This is a lot of reports to come in quickly," Hankey said.
Gauging by the reports, it happened somewhere over the ocean.
"These fireballs are common," Hankey said. "It's rare for any one person to see one more than once or twice in their lifetime. But on any given night, it might happen somewhere in the globe a few times in a day."
Hankey added: "People should not be scared of the sky falling or anything at all."
Amanda Mayer, of West Palm Beach, said she saw something in the sky and said she thought it was somebody flashing a light. She said she hit record on her camera.
"I was like, 'Wow! That's weird," Mayer said. "I just started videotaping, and that's when it happened."
It turned out to be good timing: The ball of light appeared as she recorded, she said.
"I was pretty sure it was a meteor because of everything else that's been happening," Mayer said.
The Coast Guard said it had suspected Sunday's sighting was a meteor shower, but Hankey disagreed. "Meteor showers usually are much dimmer and faster moving," Hankey said.
After a meteor exploded overhead near Chelyabinsk, Russia, on Friday, reportedly injuring more than 1,000 people, many people elsewhere in the world have wrongly thought that streaks they've seen in the sky, including planes, are meteors, Hankey said.
Traveling at 33,000 mph, a massive meteor hit the Earth's atmosphere creating a giant shockwave that blew out windows of glass, injuring nearly 1,000 people and creating panic. On the same day, an asteroid half the size of a football field came within 17,000 miles from Earth. NBC's Tom Costello reports.
"We're getting a lot more false reports," Hankey said.
But with false reports, the group tends to receive only one report describing an incident, Hankey said. If the same event is reported over and over in five or 10 minutes, then that's more likely to be "a legitimate event," or sporadic meteor, Hankey said.
In South Florida Sunday night, the Coast Guard found that the light streak vanished in an instant. The Coast Guard sent out a helicopter to check out a report of a flare near the MacArthur Causeway in Miami, but found nothing there, Laberdesque said.


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The Transforming Technologies MT4524B Two-Layer Rubber ESD Table Mat is a 4500 Series ESD control mat made of a durable 2-ply rubber. A conductive layer backs the static dissipative top layer that creates outstanding electrical performance characteristics. The 4500 Series offers excellent resistance to hot solders, soldering irons and most solvents.
This mat is packaged individually with two (2) female 10 mm snaps. Grounding hardware included.
Meets or exceeds requirements of ANSI ESD-S20.20 and the recommendations of ESD 4.1.
Benefits & Features of the Transforming Technologies MT4524B Two-Layer Rubber ESD Table Mat:


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Baroque (Rococo)
When you think of luxurious or over-the-top ornamental home décor, Baroque style typically comes to mind. This style was adopted by European royalty in the seventeenth century and was the preference of palaces and churches throughout Europe through the mid-eighteenth century (Louis XIV's palace at Versailles is done in a Baroque style). The Baroque color palette is often rich, incorporating dark reds or greens to enhance gold accent features that are commonly used to decorate mirrors, art, and accessories. Baroque interiors are highly detailed, including intricately carved wood detailing paired with luxurious textiles used for furniture, wall, and window coverings. These fabrics are often damask or floral patterned. In the early eighteenth century, Rococo evolved from the Baroque style, keeping the opulent design elements, but adopting a pastel color palette and taking itself less seriously with whimsical art.
Elements of design:
- Characterized as dramatic, opulent, and luxurious with rich colors, intricately designed furniture, gilded and ornamental accessories, and high-end textiles
- Floors are typically made from high-end materials such as solid wood or marble
- Large room-sized, hand-woven rugs are placed to soften spaces
- Furniture is intricately detailed to accent embellishments with curved legs, carved details, and gilding
- Gold frames and gilding on statues and pottery are common
- Large mirrors, crystal chandeliers, door knobs, and pulls are commonly used
- Luxury fabrics in damask and floral prints are used for upholstery, wall coverings, and floor-to-ceiling window coverings
- Rococo is a lighter, more whimsical version of the Baroque style, using a pastel palette and light-hearted art


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Raffi Baby Beluga
QRS Cat #662119
Baby Beluga
Biscuits in the Oven
Oats and Beans and Barley
Day O
Thanks a Lot
To Everyone in All the World
All I Really Need
Over in the Meadow
This Old Man
Water Dance
Joshua Giraffe
Morningtown Ride
What You Receive: The original audio CD plus a 3-digit access code for this CD. This will access and synchronize the corresponding SyncAlong piano files for this CD, which are contained on the CompactFlash card shipped FREE to first-time SyncAlong CD purchasers. Free Updates to these Piano Files will be issued regularly via this website.
Piano Transcribed & Played by: Michael T. Jones
Raffi Baby Beluga
QRS Cat #662119


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Nylon hand fans are durable and beautiful for any occasion you're looking to attend. Offered in a variety of colors, Luna Bazaar's nylon foldable fans are sold in sets of 10 – perfect sets of fans for weddings or celebrations.
Sign up for our newsletter to receive new product updates, promotions and holiday specials.


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The Society for Mathematical Psychology promotes the advancement and communication of research in mathematical psychology and related disciplines. Mathematical psychology is broadly defined to include work of a theoretical character that uses mathematical methods, formal logic, or computer simulation. The official journals of the society are Journal of Mathematical Psychology and Computational Brain & Behavior.
How to Join
The Society for Mathematical Psychology has two classes of membership: Regular members and Student members. Applications for regular membership are subject to approval by the Executive Committee. The applicant must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent experience and be interested in participating in the activities of the Society. A graduate student in any field may be admitted to student membership upon sponsorship by a member and may continue so long as he or she is a student in good standing in any graduate school.
Registration Form
Please email the registration form to:


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These lemony butter cookies are light and delicious. They are perfect for a light spring or summer luncheon.
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 3/4 cup pecans, lightly toasted and chopped
- 1 Tbs cornstarch
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 12 Tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 tsp lemon extract
- Extra sugar for sprinkling
- Preheat the oven to 300°
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper
- Blend flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt in a bowl or 4 cup measure
- In a mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for 3 minutes
- Add sugar in two additions, beating for 1 minute after each addition
- Blend in egg yolks, lemon zest and lemon extract
- Add flour mixture on low speed in two additions
- Add nuts with flour on second addition and beat just until flour is absorbed
- Place rounded Tablespoons of dough on the prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart*
- Sprinkle tops with granulated sugar and bake 20-25 minutes or until tops are golden.
- Let cookies sit on the sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar (optional).
*(Bakers tip: use a 1 Tbs. ice cream scoop- the dough pops right out and the measurement is perfect. Works great for mini-muffins too!)